Embedded Linux

The ability to compile a completely new custom Linux kernel makes it easy to create devices based on the HLK-RM04 module. There are many software packages that are available as part of OpenWRT. Once you can compile your own kernel you have the option to add your own custom code to the build. Building a…

In this step we install a set of tools that allow you to build the Uboot loader. This is not generally required because I have created two Uboot images for your use. However if you want to change Uboot this tool path installation will let you customize your Linux install. It is also possible to…

The build environment for HLK-RM04 development is quite easy to setup on a Linux computer or virtual machine. I have used Ubuntu12 for this project and I would suggest starting there because the build dependencies are already worked out for you. One small caveat is that you must use a 32 bit Ubuntu iso because…

It has been a long time coming but we are finally ready to install OpenWRT. I have provided a pre-built image for this. Using the Uboot loader we can install a new Linux image on our module. This only takes a few minutes so let’s get started. Once you have completed this step you can…

Installing Uboot over factory default The first step in preparing an HLK-RM04 module for your own use is to enable the Uboot loader. Uboot is a full featured, bootloader that initializes the system on a chip so that it is ready to run Linux. Uboot include a TFTP loader so that you can transfer images…

As I continue to develop embedded Linux designs I needed a smaller design that can be deployed as a standalone project. The new design consists of a small 4x5cm PCB that acts as a carrier for the HLK_RM04 wifi module. I needed this PCB to provide a USB to serial port for debugging as well…

Like many developers I purchased an HLK-RM04 WiFi route module with the intent of Flashing my own Linux image onto it. So I wired it up and tried to build an OpenWRT image using a virtual machine running Ubuntu. What I ended up with is a bricked module and I had no tools to…

I have been looking to design an open source Linux design that could be built at home. The problem so far has been that the processors supporting Linux tend to be manufactured in BGA packages which makes them difficult to build. The iMX23 solves this by offering an ARM9 core in a 128 pin LQFP…